JP2003132996A - Connector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve operativity of an operation member for fitting a connector. SOLUTION: When either a turning operation of a lever 20 or sliding operation of a slider 30 is performed, the lever 20 is interlocked with the slider 30 by engagement between an interlock slot 24 (interlock means) and an interlock pin 33 (interlock means), while both connectors 10 and 40 are fitted with each other by engagement between a cam slot 34 and a cam pin 42. As operation members for engagement between both connectors 10 and 40, the turning type lever 20 and the sliding type slider 30 are provided. Since both are interlocked each other to exhibit cam action, an operation member which is easier to operate, the lever 20 or the slider 30, can be selected according to installation condition of the connector.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a connector with a reduced fitting operation force.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art When a connector having a large number of poles is fitted, the fitting resistance generated between the two terminal fittings becomes large, so that it is difficult to push the fitting directly by hand.
Therefore, in such a multipolar connector, a lever-type connector is used as a means for reducing the fitting operation force. This is because one connector rotatably supports a lever having an arcuate cam groove, the other connector is provided with a cam pin, and the lever is rotatably operated while the cam groove and the cam pin are engaged. , Both connectors are fitted by a cam action, and even if the fitting resistance between the connectors is large, both connectors can be fitted easily by applying a relatively small operating force to the lever. You can do it.

An example of the lever type connector is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-119951.

[0004]

When the lever type connector as described above is used as a connecting means of a wire harness in an automobile, the following problems occur. In recent years, there is a demand for space saving in automobiles, and the installation space for wire harnesses and lever-type connectors is becoming narrower. Therefore, depending on the mounting direction of the lever-type connector, a sufficient space for rotating the lever cannot be secured, and the rotating operation of the lever may be very difficult.

The present invention was devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to improve the operability of an operation member for fitting a connector.

[0006]

According to the invention of claim 1, first and second connectors which can be fitted to each other, a lever rotatably provided on the first connector, and the first connector. A slider provided so as to be slidable in a direction intersecting with the fitting direction of the second connector, a cam pin provided on the second connector, provided on the lever and the slider, and engaged with each other. By interlocking the rotation operation of the lever with the sliding operation of the slider, and the rotation of the lever by engaging with the cam pin provided on either one of the lever and the slider. And a cam groove that exhibits a cam action in accordance with the movement and the sliding movement of the slider.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the rotation direction of the rotation operation portion provided on the lever and the sliding direction of the slide operation portion provided on the slider are:
The configuration is set to be almost opposite.

[0008]

When the lever is operated to rotate, both connectors are moved by the cam action by the engagement of the cam groove and the cam pin while the slider is slid by the interlocking means. Mated. When the slider is slid, both connectors are fitted by the cam action of the engagement between the cam groove and the cam pin while the lever is rotated by the interlocking device. As an operating member for fitting both connectors, a rotating type lever and a sliding type slider are provided, and the cam action is exerted while interlocking the two with each other. Accordingly, the operation member that is easier to operate can be selected from the lever and the slider, and the fitting operability is excellent.

[Invention of Claim 2] The operation direction of the rotary operation part for directing the hand when operating the lever and the operation direction for the slide operation part for directing the hand when operating the slider are substantially opposite to each other. Therefore, compared to the case where the lever and the slider are operated in substantially the same direction, the range of selection when the lever and the slide are selected with emphasis on the operation direction is widened.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [First Embodiment] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

The connector of the present embodiment includes a first connector 10 and a second connector 40 which can be fitted and separated from each other, and a lever 20 and a slider 30 provided on the first connector 10.
And is configured. In the following description, FIG.
The left side of is the front side. First connector 1
Reference numeral 0 includes a housing 11 in which a plurality of cavities 12 are formed, and an electric wire cover 16 assembled so as to cover the housing 11 from above. A terminal fitting (not shown) is inserted into each cavity 12 from above, and an electric wire (not shown) connected to each terminal fitting is led out from the upper surface (back surface) of the first connector 10. The drawn-out electric wire is bent laterally inside the electric wire cover 16 and extends rearward (rightward in FIG. 1) from the electric wire cover 16.

On the lower surface of the housing 11 (a surface for fitting with the second connector 40), there is formed a fitting groove 13 that opens in a rectangular shape so as to surround the formation region of all the cavities 12, and the fitting groove 13 is formed. The hood portion 41 of the second connector 40 is adapted to be fitted in from below. Further, a pair of left and right guide slits 14 having a vertically long cross section, which are open at both front and rear surfaces of the housing 11, are formed inside the housing 11 so as to be adjacent to the outside of the fitting groove 13 and communicate with the fitting groove 13. There is. Furthermore, in the housing 11,
A pair of left and right lever accommodating grooves 15 opening on the upper surface of the housing 11 are formed so as to be adjacent to the outside of the guide slit 14 and communicate with the guide slit 14.

The lever 20 has a form in which a pair of left and right plate-like arm portions 22 are extended from both ends of the rotary operation portion 21, and a bearing hole 23 of the arm portion 22 is inserted into a support shaft 17 of the wire cover 16. By being fitted to the electric wire cover 16, the bearing hole 23 and the support shaft 17 are supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the electric wire cover 16. Further, the arm portion 22 is formed with an interlocking groove 24 (interlocking means which is a constituent feature of the present invention) extending radially from the outer peripheral edge thereof toward the bearing hole 23. The length direction of the interlocking groove 24 is a direction intersecting with the rotation direction of the lever 20, and at the same time, the lever 2
Even if 0 is located between the initial position and the fitting position, it intersects with the moving direction of the slider 30. When the wire cover 16 is assembled to the housing 11, a part of the arm portion 22 is housed in the lever housing groove 15.

The arm portion 22 has an initial position locking hole 26 and a fitting position locking hole 27. By locking the locking hole 26 for the initial position with the locking projection 18 of the electric wire cover 16, the lever 20 is held at the initial position (see FIG. 1) for opening the inlet of the interlocking groove 24 downward. . Further, by engaging the engagement hole 27 for the engagement position with the engagement protrusion 18, the lever 20 displaces the rotation operation portion 21 substantially forward from the initial position (see FIG. 3).
Held in.

The slider 30 has a shape in which the front ends of a pair of left and right movable plates 31 extending in the front-rear direction are connected to each other by a plate-shaped slide operating portion 32, and the movable plate 31 is inserted into the guide slit 14 from the front. ing. The slider 30 slides the movable plate 31 in the guide slit 14 and moves in the front-back direction between an initial position (see FIG. 1) and a fitting position rearward of the initial position (see FIG. 3). It is linearly movable (sliding) in the (direction orthogonal to the fitting direction of the first connector 10 and the second connector 40).
The slider 30 is formed with a circular interlocking pin 33 (interlocking means which is a constituent feature of the present invention) protruding from the outer surface of the movable plate 31, and the interlocking pin 33 is formed in the lever accommodating groove 15.
It is projected inside.

Further, the movable plate 31 of the slider 30 is formed with a pair of front and rear cam grooves 34 extending linearly in an oblique direction with respect to both the moving direction of the slider 30 and the fitting direction of both connectors 10 and 40. Has been done. This cam groove 34
Has an upward slope toward the front, and its rear end is opened at the lower edge of the movable plate 31 as an inlet. Further, an elastic locking piece 35 is formed on the upper edge of the rear end portion of the movable plate 31, and this elastic locking piece 35 is attached to the guide slit 14.
The slider 30 is held at the initial position by being locked to the locking portion 14a on the upper wall. Further, when the slider 30 is in the initial position, the slide operation portion 32 is located further forward than the front end surface of the housing 11. Similarly, when the slider 30 is in the initial position, the inlet of the cam groove 34 is not
Is positioned so as to be aligned with the guide hole 19 that communicates with the lower surface of the housing 11 to the lower surface of the housing 11.

The second connector 40 has a rectangular tubular hood portion 41 protruding upward, and the hood portion 41 is adapted to be fitted into the fitting groove 13 of the first connector 10 from below. There is. Further, a pair of front and rear cam pins 42 protruding outward are formed on both left and right side walls of the hood portion 41, and the hood portion 41 is fitted into the fitting groove 1 of these cam pins 42.
3, the guide hole 19 of the first connector 10
It is designed to enter inside.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. When assembling the two connectors 10 and 40, first, the lever 20 supported by the electric wire cover 16 is held at the initial position, and the inlet of the interlocking groove 24 of the arm portion 22 is directed downward, that is, the electric wire cover 16 with respect to the housing 11. Leave it open in the same direction as the mounting direction. Further, in the housing 11, the slider 30 is held at the initial position. When the electric wire cover 16 is assembled to the housing 11 in such a state, the arm portion 22 is fitted into the lever housing groove 15, and the inlet of the interlocking groove 24 is engaged with the interlocking pin 33 of the slider 30 (see FIG. 1). After that, when the hood portion 41 of the second connector 40 is fitted into the fitting groove 13 from below, the cam pin 42 passes through the guide hole 19 and the slider 30.
Enters the entrance of the cam groove 34 (see FIG. 1).

After that, when the lever 20 and the slider 30 in the initial position are moved toward the fitting position, the cam groove 3
The cam action of the engagement of the cam pin 4 with the cam pin 42 draws the two connectors 10 and 40 toward each other and brings them into a proper fitting state. Here, either one of the lever 20 and the slider 30 can be selected as the means for exerting the cam action. That is, when the lever 20 is selected as the operating means, the rotation operating portion 21 of the lever 20 is selected.
To the electric wire cover 16
The lever 20 is rotated to the fitting position by operating the lever 20 so that the lever 20 is displaced substantially forward in the upper direction. As the lever 20 rotates, the inner wall of the interlocking groove 24 pushes the interlocking pin 33, whereby the slider 30 interlocks with the lever 20 and slides from the initial position to the fitting position.
The cam groove 34 and the cam pin 4 accompanying the movement of the slider 30.
The cam action is exhibited by the engagement with 2.

When the slider 30 is selected as the operating means, the hand or finger is directed to the slide operating portion 32 of the slider 30, and the slide operating portion 32 is attached to the housing 11.
The slider 30 is slid to the fitting position by linearly displacing the slider 30 toward the side. Then, as the slider 30 moves, the cam groove 3
The cam action is exhibited by the engagement between the cam pin 4 and the cam pin 42. The interlocking pin 33 pushes the inner wall of the interlocking groove 24 as the slider 30 linearly moves, and this pushing operation causes the lever 20 to rotate from the initial position to the fitting position in conjunction with the slider 30. .

As described above, in this embodiment, as an operation member for fitting both connectors 10 and 40,
Since the rotating type lever 20 and the sliding type slider 30 are provided and the cam action is exerted while interlocking the both, the lever 20 and the slider 30 can be operated depending on the installation conditions of the connector. It is possible to select the operation member that is easier to perform, and the fitting operability is excellent. Further, while the displacement direction of the rotation operation part 21 which is directed to the hand when the lever 20 is fitted is substantially forward, the slide operation part 32 which is directed to the hand when the slider 30 is fitted is operated. The displacement direction of the lever is rearward, and the lever 20
The operation directions of the rotation operation section 21 on the side and the slide operation section 32 on the side of the slider 30 are substantially opposite to each other. Therefore, compared to the case where the lever and the slider are operated in substantially the same direction, the range of selection when the lever 20 and the slider 30 are selected with an emphasis on the operation direction is widened.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Embodiment 1
In contrast, the slider 30 is provided with the cam groove 34, whereas in the second embodiment, the lever 60 is provided with the cam groove 63.
Since other configurations, operations, and effects are the same as those of the first embodiment, the description of the structures and the operations and effects of the same configurations will be omitted. The details of the structure will be described below. Housing 51 of the first connector 50
Inside, a fitting groove 52 that opens in a square shape on the lower surface thereof, a pair of left and right lever accommodating grooves 53 that are adjacent to the outer side of the fitting groove 52 and communicate with the fitting groove 52, and the lever accommodating groove 5
A pair of left and right guide slits 54 adjacent to the outer side of 3 and communicating with the lever accommodating groove 53 are formed. An arcuate cam groove 63 is formed in the arm portion 62 of the lever 60, and an interlocking pin 64 (an interlocking means that is a constituent feature of the present invention) formed in a form protruding from the outer surface of the arm portion 62 is formed. There is. On the other hand, in the movable plate 71 of the slider 70, a vertical interlocking groove 73 (an interlocking device which is a constituent feature of the present invention) is formed so as to open at the upper edge of the movable plate 71. The length direction of the interlocking groove 73 is a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the slider 70, and at the same time, the arc-shaped displacement locus of the interlocking pin 64 as the lever 60 rotates between the initial position and the fitting position. It is also the direction intersecting with.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described. When assembling the first connector 50 and the second connector 80, first, the lever 60 supported by the wire cover 55.
Is held at the initial position, and the inlet of the cam groove 63 of the arm portion 62 is opened downward. On the other hand, in the housing 51, the interlocking groove 73 is made to stand by at the position corresponding to the interlocking pin 64 of the lever 60 by holding the slider 70 at the initial position.

When the electric wire cover 55 is assembled to the housing 51 in such a state, the arm portion 62 moves the lever accommodating groove 53.
And the interlocking pin 64 enters the interlocking groove 73 at the entrance. After this, the hood portion 81 of the second connector 80
When is inserted into the fitting groove 52 from below, the cam pin 82 enters the entrance of the cam groove 63 of the lever 60. After that, when the lever 60 and the slider 70 in the initial position are moved toward the fitting position, the cam action of the engagement of the cam groove 63 and the cam pin 82 brings the connectors 50 and 80 into the fitted state. Here, as means for exerting the cam action,
Either one of the lever 60 and the slider 70 can be selected.

When the lever 60 is selected as the operating means, a hand or a finger is directed to the rotary operation portion 61 of the lever 60, and the rotary operation portion 61 is operated so as to be displaced substantially forward. When the lever 60 is rotated to the fitting position, the cam groove 63 and the cam pin 8 are rotated along with the rotation of the lever 60.
The cam action is exhibited by the engagement with 2. The interlocking pin 64 pushes the inner wall of the interlocking groove 73 with the rotation of the lever 60, whereby the slider 70 interlocks with the lever 60 and slides from the initial position to the fitting position.

When the slider 70 is selected as the operating means, a hand or a finger is directed to the slide operating portion 72 of the slider 70, and the slide operating portion 72 is attached to the housing 51.
The slider 70 is slid to the fitting position by linearly displacing the slider 70 toward the side. With the movement of the slider 70, the inner wall of the interlocking groove 73 pushes the interlocking pin 64, whereby the lever 60 is rotated from the initial position to the fitting position. With the rotation of the lever 60, the cam action is exhibited by the engagement between the cam groove 63 and the cam pin 82.

[Other Embodiments] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings. For example, the following embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention. In addition to the above, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. (1) The interlocking device of the first embodiment may have an engagement structure of a protrusion provided on the lever side and a groove provided on the slider side. (2) The interlocking device of the second embodiment may have an engaging structure of a groove provided on the lever side and a protrusion provided on the slider side.

(3) In the first and second embodiments, the displacement direction of the rotation operation part of the lever and the displacement direction of the slide operation part of the slider may be substantially the same. (4) In the above embodiment, one lever and one slider are provided, but according to the present invention, at least one of the lever and slider may be provided in plurality.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a lever and a slider are in an initial position in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the lever and the slider are being displaced from the initial position toward the fitting position.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing a state where a lever and a slider are in a fitting position.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the first connector.

[Figure 5] Rear view of the wire cover and lever

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the housing.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the housing.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 ... First connector 20 ... Lever 21 ... Rotation operation part 24 ... Interlocking groove (interlocking means) 30 ... Slider 32 ... Slide operation unit 33 ... Interlocking pin (interlocking means) 34 ... Cam groove 40 ... Second connector 42 ... Cam pin 50 ... First connector 60 ... Lever 61 ... Rotation operation unit 63 ... Cam groove 64 ... Interlocking pin (interlocking means) 70 ... Slider 72 ... Slide operation unit 73 ... Interlocking groove (interlocking means) 80 ... Second connector 82 ... cam pin

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first and a second connector which can be fitted together, a lever which is provided on the first connector so as to be rotatable, and a direction in which the first connector is fitted to the second connector. A slider provided so as to be slidable in a direction intersecting with each other, a cam pin provided on the second connector, a lever provided on the slider, and a slider provided on the slider. An interlocking means for interlocking with the sliding movement of the slider; and a cam provided with one of the lever and the slider, which engages with the cam pin to rotate the lever and slide the slider. A connector having a cam groove that exerts an action. 2. The rotating direction of a rotating operation portion provided on the lever and the sliding direction of a slide operating portion provided on the slider are substantially opposite to each other. Connector.